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A Helpful Overview on Tax Deductions

Tax Deductions Overview

Application of Tax Deductions and Differences from Tax Credit:

Individual Taxpayers:

For individual tax payers, tax deductions are different expenses which are eligible to be reported on a tax return in order to reduce the amount of the individual's taxable income. Individuals are generally given the choice between an itemized tax deduction and a standard tax deduction to determine the total taxable income. The choice is generally dictated by which method produces the greater amount of tax deductions for the taxpayer. The standard deduction procedure, which is generally a more attractive choice for individuals who wish to avoid disputes and adjustments by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is only available for U.S. citizens and resident aliens. Also, itemized tax deductions require a taxpayer to keep detailed records of their expenses and other transactions, as such deductions require proof before being applied to tax returns.

Business Expenses:

Business expenses, which are the costs that are incurred by a company to carry out its daily business operations, are generally tax deductible. This can include the renting of office space and storefronts, business trips provided to employees, and operations associated with employee payroll. One of the largest items that can be written off by a company are its cost of goods sold (COGS), the amount of money it costs for a company to purchase raw goods, develop it into a final product, and sell it to the public.

Capitalized Expenses:

Capitalized items in a company are generally considered to be items purchased by a company as an investment which are used to create a profit in the future. For example, a capitalized business item can be factory equipment for manufacturing a product, which is depreciated over time. In most cases, capitalized items that have depreciated value are deducted over time.

Difference Between Tax Deduction and Tax Credit:

Though both terms are easily mistaken, tax deductions and tax credits are two completely different terms in United States tax law. Though both terms reduce the amount of money and individual or business owes in taxes to the government, they are both given for different reasons and use different methods for doing so. A tax deduction is a method used to write off certain expenses incurred by an individual or business in order to lower the taxable income. In some instances, this may place a taxpayer into a lower tax bracket, requiring a smaller percentage of taxes to be paid. A tax credit, is a payment to an individual or company after their tax bracket has been determined, and it directly reduces the amount of taxes a taxpayer is obligated to pay to the federal government. The tax credit would then be subtracted from the total tax amount.

Itemized Tax Deductions:Eligible Itemized Tax Deductions:

Medical Expenses: Though there are certain limits, medical expenses may be written off. The amount of allowed deductible medical expenses is determined by calculating 7.5 percent of a taxpayer's gross adjusted income and subtracting it from the total medical expenses. These will usually include payments to doctors, physical therapists, psychologists and other health care professionals.

Mortgage Interest: Can include debt which has been accumulated from up to two different houses.

Charitable Contributions: These include donations that are made to eligible charities, such money, goods and expenses incurred for providing services.

Small Business Tax Deductions:

Small businesses write off deductible expenses to help lower the taxable profit. By doing this, it will have more money to reinvest and spend for future operations and expansion. Businesses should keep organized records of all deductible expenses to ensure the maximum amount of deductible expenses. These expenses are decided into business expenses and capital expenses.

Expenses on Entering a Business: This type of expense is considered to be a capital expense because it is part of an investment that a company puts into something for future income and profit.

Books and Legal Fees: It is not uncommon for a business to seek professional legal counsel when performing operations and acquiring additional knowledge. Yearly fees for professional help and amounts paid for books and other educational sources can be tax deductible.

Interest: For an owner to purchase a business, in many cases credit would be used to finance it. The interest and carrying charges for such a procedure are tax deductible.

If you need legal advice and assistance, contact tax lawyers.

NEXT: Understanding Tax Deductions in the US

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